Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be the USDA Economists Group. Section 2. Mission Statement. The mission of the USDA Economists Group is to be a responsible advocate for USDA economists within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Washington community, the agricultural economics profession, and society at large.
Section 3. Purposes. The purposes of the USDA Economists Group are:

• To promote a common identity as USDA economists.
• To promote a sense of community among USDA economists.
• To foster greater understanding of--and appreciation for--the contributions of USDA economists to USDA, to the agricultural economics profession, and to society at large.
• To help others understand the importance of economic analysis to fulfilling USDA's *missions.
• To promote interaction and cooperation among economists within USDA and its agencies.
• To promote interaction and cooperation among USDA economists; economists in other government agencies, academia, and the private sector; and others with similar interests.
• To serve as a liaison between USDA economists and other professional organizations.
• To encourage other professional organizations to better address the needs of applied economists.

Section 1. Regular Members. To be a regular member of the USDA Economists Group, a person must be a current USDA employee who is interested in the economics of USDA's missions.
Section 2. Associate Members. A person who is not a current USDA employee but who otherwise qualifies for membership is eligible to be an associate member of the USDA Economists Group. Associate members have all rights associated with regular membership except voting rights. The Vice-President for Membership must approve applications for associate membership.
Section 3. Non-Discrimination. Beyond the guidelines of Sections *I and 2 above, membership in USDA Economists shall be open without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or disability.

ARTICLE III EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS

Section 1. Executive Board. The responsibility and authority for managing the affairs of the USDA Economists Group is vested in an Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consist of the current officers, the immediate past president, and one director elected at large by the membership. During intervals between regular meetings of the full membership, the Executive Board is authorized to transact business on behalf of the organization.
Section 2. Officers. The following officers will be elected by regular members of USDA Economists.
(a) President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the organization and shall preside at all meetings. The President shall appoint members of standing and ad hoc committees.
(b) Vice-President for Programs. The Vice-President for Programs shall head the Programs Committee. The Programs Committee is responsible for scheduling meetings and activities, developing programs and topics, and providing speakers for meetings. The committee is also responsible for exploring and developing other activities, as appropriate, such as in-service education needs. The Vice President for Programs shall act as President in the latter's absence.
(c) Vice-President for Membership. The Vice-President for Membership shall head the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee is responsible for promoting membership in the USDA Economists Group by developing lists of potential members and soliciting members. The committee is responsible for developing and maintaining a computerized list of members of the organization. The committee is responsible for handling communications between members and the organization.
(d) Secretary. The Secretary shall be the secretary for all meetings of the organization and the Executive Board. The Secretary shall be responsible for the maintenance of the necessary records of the organization and for correspondence in connection with the activities of the organization.
(e) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of funds of the organization and shall act under the direction of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall render such financial reports from time-to-time as may be needed.